Look closer to see further : exploring environmental life cycle management, LCM

Look closer to see further : exploring environmental life cycle management, LCM

Author:

Poikkimäki, Sanna

Abstract:

Product life cycle management, LCM, is an emerging concept describing the efforts to study and develop the environmental efficiency of product life cycles. Its definitions vary and the understanding on its goal and related activities also affect the possible outcomes. The purpose of this study is to explore what is LCM and what are the related activities. The research related to corporate environmental management often relies on realist assumptions and technology-based views. These often fail to grasp the factors related to social interaction, subjective experiences and understanding that may be crucial in advancing environmental considerations in companies, and therefore a phenomenological approach is chosen for this study. An explorative research strategy is chosen to enable the use of different methods and to find authentically new information on the phenomenon. The study consists of two parts. First, the focus is on the definitions of LCM. Interpretative concept research suggests that the three core activities of LCM are (1) producing and using environment-related information, (2) implementing environmental improvements and (3) interaction and co-operation. The suggested environmental improvements by LCM can be seen as innovations. LCM and innovation activities are thus closely connected. Second, the study explores experiences from a case project. Qualitative data from interviews, participant observation and documentation describes a project studying and developing the environmental efficiency of Finnish beverage packaging, in 2000-2002. The case project was considered beneficial due to learning experiences. Data-driven findings suggest that the interaction and co-operation of actors and companies in the case project enabled and enhanced collective, continuous and experiential learning and knowledge creation. Interaction and co-operation were significant since they contributed to the building of professional expertise, to overcoming barriers and motivating for environmental work, to enhancing innovativeness and to implementing environmental improvements. There were also indications of affecting organizational cultures. LCM, when creating detailed environmental knowledge on product life cycles, can thus contribute to the development of dynamic and interactive corporate environmental management, as well as to the related strategic thinking in companies.
...Sanna Poikkimäki tutki väitöskirjassaan yritysten ympäristöjohtamiseen kuuluvaa tuotteiden elinkaarijohtamista. Elinkaarijohtamisen ydintoimintoja ovat ympäristötiedon tuottaminen ja hyödyntäminen, ympäristöparannusten toteuttaminen sekä vuorovaikutus ja yhteistyö.- Yritysten ja toimijoiden välisellä vuorovaikutuksella ja yhteistyöllä on keskeinen merkitys. Yhteistyössä luodaan uutta tietoa ja opitaan yritysten toimintaan ja tuotteisiin liittyvistä ympäristönäkökohdista. Elinkaarijohtaminen voi tuottaa ympäristöinnovaatioita. Se voi myös tukea vuorovaikutteista ja dynaamista ympäristöjohtamista ja siihen liittyvän strategisen ajattelun kehittymistä yrityksissä, Poikkimäki kertoo.Yritysten on välttämätöntä arvioida tuotteidensa elinkaarten ympäristövaikutuksia niihin liittyvien lainsäädännöllisten vaatimusten jatkuvasti lisääntyessä. Elinkaariajattelu voi tarjota myös merkittäviä mahdollisuuksia kehittää liiketoimintaa ja kilpailukykyä.Poikkimäki tarkasteli kokemuksia projektista, jossa tutkittiin ja kehitettiin suomalaisten juomapakkausten elinkaaren ympäristötehokkuutta. Companies face increasing legislative pressures to consider the environmental impacts of their products. The product life cycle perspective can also provide opportunities for business development.
...